discomfiture
noun
dis·com·fi·ture
dis-ˈkəm(p)-fə-ˌchu̇r 
-chər,
especially Southern -ˌt(y)u̇r
: the act of discomfiting : the state of being discomfited
Synonyms
Examples of discomfiture in a Sentence
blushed and lowered her eyes in evident discomfiture
Recent Examples on the Web
Sohel’s father, an aristo to his fingertips, would have been amused to think of a Dunyapur peasant having an opinion on the matter at all, and might have called him over to enjoy his discomfiture in the presence of the Begum Sahiba’s bikini.
—
Daniyal Mueenuddin, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2021
Marsac’s discomfiture nevertheless leads to something utterly unexpected.
—Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2021
When the aliens did not appear, some members of the group became disillusioned and immediately departed, but others dealt with their discomfiture by doubling down on their conviction.
—Zoë Heller, The New Yorker, 5 July 2021
Kedar is sung after eight o’clock in the evening, and to sing it at twilight, at six o’clock, would create slight discomfiture.
—Amit Chaudhuri, Harper's Magazine, 16 Mar. 2021
The Chinese government has certainly sought to profit from American discomfiture over COVID-19, trumpeting its own record in confronting the pandemic.
—Peter Ford, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 June 2020
This kind of discomfiture was what Pride Circle had attempted to resolve before the job fair with online registrations.
—Manavi Kapur, Quartz India, 27 Feb. 2020
So begins the play-within-the play, the tale of an old man, Alonso Quijano, who to the discomfiture of his family becomes Don Quixote de La Mancha, a knight errant who lives for chivalry, justice and love.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2019
But Zeldin’s discomfiture stands out because his party has made him a standard-bearer for its pro-Israel stance.
—Ron Kampeas, sun-sentinel.com, 27 Aug. 2019
See More
Daniyal Mueenuddin, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2021
Marsac’s discomfiture nevertheless leads to something utterly unexpected.
—Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2021
When the aliens did not appear, some members of the group became disillusioned and immediately departed, but others dealt with their discomfiture by doubling down on their conviction.
—Zoë Heller, The New Yorker, 5 July 2021
Kedar is sung after eight o’clock in the evening, and to sing it at twilight, at six o’clock, would create slight discomfiture.
—Amit Chaudhuri, Harper's Magazine, 16 Mar. 2021
The Chinese government has certainly sought to profit from American discomfiture over COVID-19, trumpeting its own record in confronting the pandemic.
—Peter Ford, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 June 2020
This kind of discomfiture was what Pride Circle had attempted to resolve before the job fair with online registrations.
—Manavi Kapur, Quartz India, 27 Feb. 2020
So begins the play-within-the play, the tale of an old man, Alonso Quijano, who to the discomfiture of his family becomes Don Quixote de La Mancha, a knight errant who lives for chivalry, justice and love.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2019
But Zeldin’s discomfiture stands out because his party has made him a standard-bearer for its pro-Israel stance.
—Ron Kampeas, sun-sentinel.com, 27 Aug. 2019
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discomfiture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of discomfiture was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near discomfiture
Cite this Entry
“Discomfiture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discomfiture. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on discomfiture
Britannica English: Translation of discomfiture for Arabic Speakers
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